Lock



L. B. SHINN Nov. 10,1925- Locx Filed Dec. 5, 1923 Patented Nov; 10, 1925. v

UNIT D STATES.

LYLE 3. sum,

s 1,560,868 PATENT, ora c or cnrcaoo, rumors, assronoa 'ro onrcaeo cnmn'r LOOK co., o1'

omcaeo, rumors, A oonromnon or rumors.

LOOK.

Application Med. December a, mm. mm Io; amour.

\ To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LYLE B. SHINN,- a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention' relates to looks and its ob- -ject is to provide an improved closure or dust g'uard fdr the key-slot n the look.

This object is attained by r'oviding a closure consisting of relatlve y movable members which are adapted to be automatically spread by the oint of the key in its 1 I movement to insert lt iil the key slot.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion aohereof. b

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a lock embodying the invention.

'Fig. 2i's a front view, the key-slot closure bein shown in closed positionand the r tainlng ring therefor being tion. Fig. 3 is a similar viewshowing the closure members spread apa by the key. vFig. 4 is a perspective of the lock cylinder. 1 Fig. 5 is a perspective of the plates forming the ke -slot closure. Fig. 6' is-a detail of one o the springs. for closing the plates.

Fig. 7 is a section oii line 77 of Fig. 1.

The invention is exemplified in a lock comprising a casing 9 in which is rotatably" mounted acylinder 8, in which is formed a transverse slldeway or ide 10 for a-series of; transversely mova le plate tumblers which are provided with end tongues 15 adapted ito enter grooves '16 in the casing to secure the cylinder against rotation except -when all of the tumblers are properly positioned by the-correct key to permit rotation of the cylinder in the casing. The cylinder voperates a member 7 which is connected in 4 any suitable manner to the latch controlled by the lock. Each tumbler 11 is provided.

with a slot 12, through which a suitable key 14 is adapted to-pass, the edges of the key cooperating with the ends of the slots to position the tumblers so they will all be withdrawn from the casing. A slot 8',

. .aligned with the slots in the tumblers, is

\ formed in the front wall of the cylinder for theinsertionand withdrawal of the key. p The present invention relates more parshown in Sec-'- ticularl to looks used in places where it is desirab e to exclude dust'and water from the opening into which the key fits, so that when the key is withdrawn, the opening will be closed to exclude dust and water from the lock. Locks of this type are gen erally used for doors and lever-locks of motor vehicles For this purpose, a pair of substantially semi-circular plates 17 and 18- are held against the front face of the cylinder by the inwardly extending flan e -19 of a' ring 20 which is fixedly secure to the casing 9. The contiguous edges of plates 17 and 18-meetjand extend on, a-line which is in front' of the key -slot 8 'in the cylinder and the tumblers therein. Each'closure plate is ressed inwardly to close the key slot by a owed leaf spring .21 which has its edges 7 held in notches formed in the outer margin of the plateand has its central portion engaging the inner periphery of an annular shoulder 22 in casi'ng'9. Pins 23, secured in the cylinder,'extend between the closure plates to cause them to be aligned with the key-'slot'in the cylinder. The meetingedges of plates17 and 18 are bevelled, as" at 24 so that when the inner end or point of thekey is pushed against the plates with its flat plane substantially aligned with the keg-j slot, the key will automatically spread t e 35 plates against the force of sprin s 21 to permit it to enter the key-slot in t e cylilrder and the tumblers. -When' the key is turned, the closure plates will be positively rotated thereby, and the meetin edges 'of the plates will remain substantia y aligned withthe key-slot. When the key is with drawn, the-springs will automatically shift y the "closure plates together to close thekeycslot in the cylinder and bymeans of pins 23 the meeting edges of thepl'ates 17 and 18 'will be aligned with respect to the key-slot. The invention exemplifies a key-slot closure for cylinder-locks which is adaptedto be automatically opened by the movement -.of the key necessa for the insertion of the key into the ke lbt, thus dispensing {with the necessity 'o a separate movementfor this purpose. In utilizing the movement in the same direction as that necessary forth insertion of the key, the opening of the closure is rendered easy and facilitated. The device is simple in constructionand can be roduced at a low cost.

' einvention is not to be understood 9.3

out

- ing a casing havin restricted to the-details set fo th, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desiretosecure by Letmovement, of a pair of members for closing the slot having meeting edges in front oytheslot and provided withmeans by which they may be spread apart by the insertion of a key betweenthem', and leaf springs for shift ing' the members to. close the slot, said springs being secured to rotate with said member pectively and slidable on said .ing a casing bearin surface' 2. 'T e com ination' with a lock comprisavlng a bearing surface adjacent its front end, a cylinder in and retatable relatively to the casing and provided with a key-slot, andtumblers for securing I the cylinder and easing against relative movement, of a pair of members for closing the slot, having meeting edges in front of e the slot and provided with means by which they-maybe spread a'partlby the insertion of-a key between them, and centrally bowed leaf springs for shifting the members .to

close the S103, each of said springs having its ends secure in notches formed in one of the members and its central portion engaging said bearing surfaceof the casing and slidable thereon.

'3. The combination with a lock comprising a vcasing 'a cylinder in and rotatable relatively tothe casing and provided with a key-slot, and tumblers for securing the cylinder and casing against relative movement, of a pair of transversely movable plates for closing the slot having meeting cdges'in front of the slotand provided with means by which they may be spread apart by the insertion of a key between them, and means to align the meeting edges of the plate with the key-slot in the cylinder.

4, The combination of a lock comprising a casing, a cylinder in and rotatable rel'a tively to the-casing and provided with a key-slot, and tumblers for securing the cylinder and easing against relative movement, of a. pair of transversely slidable plates for closing the slot having meeting edges in front of the slot and provided with means by which they may be spread apart means to align the meeting edges of the plates with the key-'slotin the cylinder comprising a pin and slot connection between said cylinder and said plates.

' by the insertion of a key between them, and V Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this lst day of December, 1923. d t h LYLE SHINN. 

